Photo. University of Tennessee

To coincide with the start of the college basketball season, we’re putting you up on some players to keep an eye on from now until the Final Four in San Antonio. Or in this case, the women’s Final Four in Tampa.

SHANNON BOBBITT, TENNESSEE

Don Imus is lucky he didn’t talk s*** about Shannon Bobbitt; otherwise he would’ve run risk of getting screamed on. Tennessee’s senior point guard, after all, doesn’t play around like that.

In a national-TV game against Texas last year, the Lady Vols were on defense when an entry pass went into the post. Over the crowd and the announcers you could hear little Shannon holler “Punch that! Get that out of here!” meanwhile taking her own 5-foot-2 frame into the paint trying to take a charge. Not only is the Bronx-bred Bobbitt tough and bold, she’s not above embarrassing someone. Look her up on YouTube: in one of college basketball’s most memorable plays from last season, “Lil’ Bit” was on the break against Georgia when she got her defender on a crossover so nasty, she had the girl trying to stick her lost in a spin cycle.

UT teammate Candace Parker is no doubt the best overall talent, but no women’s ballplayer in the country is as electrifying as Shannon Bobbitt. She’ll fly down the court at breakneck speed and whip a between-the-legs pass without slowing down. She’ll pickpocket opposing point guards in the open floor and tell them about it to their face. Then there’s that crossover, which has dropped defenders of both genders at playgrounds and gyms from New York to Tennessee. When Shannon joined the Lady Vols last year, it was only the second time since 1977 that Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt used a scholarship on a JUCO transfer. Bobbitt responded by putting up 8.7 points, 2.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game, and in QB’ing Tennessee to a national championship, made the All-Final Four Team. During the season Bobbitt scored 20 points in a game against Alabama, pilfered Georgia for 5 steals, and went for 13 points and 3 steals in the national title win over Rutgers.

In a sport that most men put somewhere between a Tiger-less golf tournament and pro lacrosse on the What Am I Gonna Watch Today? chart, Shannon Bobbitt is still worth the price of admission. Make sure you don’t miss the show.